My wife and I recently went to The Oracle Arena in Oakland, California to experience Bruce Springsteen. It was more of a revival than a concert. He was able to command twenty thousand to stand, sing and scream for three hours.

This was the fourth time we witnessed a Springsteen show. This one reminded me of the first time we saw him in 1978. It was in Kansas City and folks were standing on their seats in a frenzied state.

Almost thirty five years later, Bruce was able to bring the same energy and focus to Oakland as he brought to Kansas City when Jimmy Carter was president.

At this recent show, his song selection was all up beat without a real ballad to be found. The brand new songs blended seamlessly with his older work. You could feel the determination and sense of purpose emanating from his soul. His eyes portrayed an intense longing to express joy, anger, betrayal, loss and love.

The older songs, some almost forty years old were as relevant now as when they were originally recorded.

His E Street band had plenty of guitars, a horn section, a choir and two great drummers.

The E Street Band recently lost one of its members; saxophonist Clarence Clemens who died of complications from a stroke. His replacement was his nephew Jake who played Clarence’s solos and made them his own while also honoring his uncle’s memory.

The audience was acutely aware of the loss of Clarence and what he meant to Bruce as well as the rest of us.

At one point during the show, Bruce stood on a platform in the middle of the standing crowd and sang about the big man joining the band. A video presentation of Clarence took place while the crowd screamed to the top of its lungs for five minutes; a cathartic and healthy way to deal with the death of a loved one.

Bruce at age sixty three seems to be getting younger instead of gracefully aging. His commitment to his craft is unassailable. Perhaps no performer has held the audience in the palm of his hand like Springsteen. Apt comparisons to The Beatles and James Brown come to mind.

Springsteen seems desperate to perform and deliver his message. He sings for working people everywhere. He appears to be so appreciative of his gift and it is obvious that he doesn’t take it for granted.

He lives in the moment as he connects with his massive audience; knowing that life is fleeting and all this intense excitement can be taken away in a moment. His longevity has taught him that truth and the crowd is in sync with Bruce’s spirit.

His song subjects touch on many themes: We Take Care of Our Own(disillusion with the American governments commitment to helping those in need), Promised Land(hope despite many obstacles), Dancing in the Dark(isolation, depression and crawling out of it). Rosalita(sheer exuberance), Tenth Avenue Freeze Out(the fear and freedom of realizing you are on your own for the first time), The Rising(recovering from a disaster by standing up and working together), Independence Day(complicated relationship with one’s father), Last to Die(story of an unjust war) and Born to Run(two young lovers leaving home and finding the meaning of life together).

Bruce Springsteen has a passion for his work and sets an example for all of us.

That passion leads to this truth: As you grow older, you don’t rest on your laurels and expect to continue excelling in your craft. No, you utilize all the wisdom that you have gained over the years and you work harder. You are highly motivated to improve your skills.

You write better songs, you play longer shows, you touch more hearts. You understand that life has become a series of challenges that have to be worked through.

Those challenges could be close relationships, financial or health issues.

When we were young, we believed that we would be at peace and rest when we reached our 60’s. Bruce is an example of how this was all a fantasy and a myth.

Whether you are a teacher, construction worker, therapist, artist or writer; your skills and love of your work can make it better.

Making it better has a way of keeping us younger.